Interaction Design
Laters
Rethinking the to-do list around attention, not productivity.
Turning a simple to-do list into a tool for attention
Laters started as an exploration of an existing open-source to-do application.
The original product handled the basic task-management loop well: users could add, complete, filter and delete tasks. But as the list grew, every task competed for attention in much the same way.
My goal was to explore how a simple to-do list could help people understand what matters now, what is coming up, and what can consciously wait.
Understanding the Existing Experience
I began by using the existing application and documenting areas that could be improved.
Tasks had little temporal context, prioritisation was limited, some controls lacked clarity and the interface used generous space without creating a strong information hierarchy.
My first instinct was to solve these issues by adding more functionality: priorities, filters, statuses and calendar features.
But that introduced another problem.
The more tools I added to organise tasks, the more effort users would have to spend managing their task manager.
Reframing the Problem
Instead of asking how I could give users more ways to organise their tasks, I reframed the challenge:
How might a task manager help people decide what deserves their attention — without adding more complexity?
This shifted the project from task organisation towards attention management.
The goal was no longer to create a more powerful productivity tool, but a calmer and more intentional one.
Now, Soon, Later
Traditional task managers often rely on priorities such as High, Medium and Low.
For Laters, I explored a simpler model based on when something becomes relevant:
Now
Things that deserve attention right now.
Soon
Things that are approaching and may have a specific date or time.
Later
Things worth remembering without letting them compete for current attention.
This creates a simple progression:
Later → Soon → Now → Done
Time becomes a lightweight form of prioritisation.
Making Task Capture Lighter
A task should not require a miniature project-management process.
Instead of asking users to immediately define categories, priorities, statuses and deadlines, Laters starts with the task itself.
After capturing something, the main decision is simply:
When does this matter? Now · Soon · Later
Dates and times can be added when they provide useful context, but remain optional.
The interface introduces complexity progressively rather than requiring it upfront.
Designing a Calmer Interface
Visually, I wanted Laters to feel closer to a personal agenda than a productivity dashboard.
Typography carries most of the hierarchy. Dates and times remain secondary, while tasks stay visually dominant. Colour is used sparingly to communicate state and interaction rather than decorate the interface.
This process also changed one of my initial assumptions.
I originally saw the generous whitespace in the existing interface as inefficient. During the redesign, I realised that whitespace itself was not the issue.
Whitespace without hierarchy was.
The redesign therefore uses space deliberately to group information, separate time horizons and direct attention.
Designing Around Different Levels of Attention
Each area of Laters has a different purpose.
Now reduces the experience to what currently matters.
Soon provides an overview of upcoming tasks and introduces dates and times where necessary.
Later creates a low-pressure space for things worth remembering without turning them into immediate obligations.
Rather than presenting every task with equal urgency, the interface changes what is visible depending on its relevance.
From Interface to Implementation
Laters also became an opportunity to move beyond a purely visual redesign.
I used the existing open-source application as a technical starting point and began translating the new interaction model and visual system into the frontend.
Working with an existing codebase made the relationship between design and implementation more tangible. Responsive behaviour, interaction states and interface logic had to work outside the controlled environment of Figma.
The implementation is an ongoing exploration rather than an attempt to rebuild the entire application from scratch.
Outcome
Laters transforms the original task list around one central idea:
Not everything deserves your attention at the same time.
Instead of introducing more layers of productivity management, the concept uses Now, Soon and Later to create a simpler relationship between tasks and time.
The result is a quieter task-management experience designed to help people decide what matters — and what can wait.
What I Learned
The project started with the assumption that the existing application needed more functionality.
Exploring those ideas showed me that adding features is not necessarily the same as improving an experience.
The more interesting design decision was deciding what not to add.
Laters helped me think more critically about progressive disclosure, information hierarchy and how a simple interaction model can replace several layers of interface complexity.
It also gave me an opportunity to connect UX and visual design decisions with their implementation in an existing frontend.